Homeowners And Airport Plans Put In Holding Pattern

Plans to extend the runway at Madison County Executive Airport (MDQ) near Huntsville, AL, have once again been stalled after the FAA received a single, detailed complaint letter from a local resident.  Years of work and several million dollars have already gone into the stalled expansion plan, including environmental assessments and relocation agreements with nearby residents that will be affected.

MDQ currently has a 5,000 by 100 ft runway that supports nearly 100 operations per day.  Airport chairman Tom Sharp, Jr. said the growing airport needs to extend its runway to 6,500 feet so it can host larger corporate and private planes.

"We think this is going to bring several more jobs and obviously increase the safety of this airport quite a bit," Sharp said.

Since taking control of the airport in 1993, the Madison County Executive Airport Authority has been steadily improving the airfield using grants and Congressional earmarks.  $1.14 million for the airport runway project was included in the 2009 federal omnibus spending bill.

Charles Woods lives near the airport and has been an aggressive opponent of the runway expansion.  Woods lives on side street that connects to a roadway that will be moved 250 ft during the runway expansion, extending the road by 0.7 miles.

MDQ in June 2006. Credit: USDA Farm Services Agency

"I think it's wrong for our elected and appointed officials to consider the convenience of a few aircraft owners and pilots more important than the burdens of taxes, lost time and other expenses for many citizens," Woods wrote in a letter to The Huntsville Times.  Woods did calculations showing that over 58,000 gallons of additional gasoline would be burned (based on traffic estimates and estimated average fuel efficiency) in addition to increased driving time for residents like him.

The FAA wrote back to Woods and assured him they would suspend "any further funding" while an updated planning and environmental review was completed to address "new public concerns."

However, homeowners of eight houses that will need to be moved for the expansion had already given their blessing for the expansion and are now facing an uncertain future as the project is put on hold.  The airport authority had agreements to purchase the properties, but has held back on fears the FAA will cancel the project.

"We met with all the affected residents a year and a half ago, and they all agreed to relocate. This delay has had them in limbo since then," Sharp commented.  "Because of one resident's concerns, we have double checked and triple checked," he said. "Now we are waiting for final determination from the FAA."

FMI: http://www.mceaa.org